Synonyms for steep
- adjective
- verb
- noun
Most common
expensive costly arduous exorbitant extortionate bluff abrupt precipitous
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Expensive
high, expensive, arduous, costly, pricey informal, high-priced, fancy, spendy US, spenny UK, out of sight, dear UK IE
2. Exorbitant
exorbitant, immoderate, extortionate, outrageous, unconscionable, usurious, extravagant, inordinate
3. Hilly — of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward or downward at an angle…
Other
precipitous, sharp, sheer, abrupt, bluff, bold, rugged, perpendicular
Verb
1. Plunge
plunge, soak up, drench, immerse, soak, absorb, submerge, engulf, saturate, imbue, imbrue, engross, impregnate, souse
Noun
Definitions
- adj. 1
Of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward or downward at an angle approaching vertical.
a steep hill or mountain; a steep roof; a steep ascent; a steep barometric gradient
- adj. 2
Expensive.
Twenty quid for a shave? That's a bit steep.
- v. 1
To soak or wet thoroughly.
They steep skins in a tanning solution to create leather.
- n. 1
The steep side of a mountain etc.; a slope or acclivity.
Choose the right word
High is used of simple elevation; steep is said only of an incline where the vertical measurement is sufficiently great in proportion to the horizontal to make it difficult of ascent.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- expensive A piano is expensive, but a car is more expensive.
- costly The broccoli is either costly or of poor quality.
- arduous She went through a long and arduous vocational course.
- exorbitant Originally, the salesman named an exorbitant price.
- bluff How did you know I was going to call your bluff?
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| steep | steady | |
| expensive | steady | |
| costly | falling | |
| arduous | steady | |
| exorbitant | falling | |
| extortionate | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- high1, dear1, bold1, soak1
- 5 letters
- sharp1, fancy2, cliff1, sheer1, brent1, bluff1, hilly2, imbue2, scarp1, souse
- 6 letters
- costly2, absorb2, rugged2, plunge1, abrupt2, pricey2, infuse2, engulf2, drench1, seethe1, spendy, spenny, imbrue
- 7 letters
- arduous3, immerse2, engross2, brasque
- 8 letters
- submerge2, saturate3, usurious, macerate
- 9 letters
- expensive3, precipice3
- 10 letters
- outrageous3, exorbitant4, inordinate4, escarpment3, impregnate3, immoderate
- 11 letters
- extravagant4, precipitous4
- 12 letters
- extortionate4
- 13 letters
- perpendicular5
- 14 letters
- unconscionable5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (fancy2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- escarpé